Mohave Today

Arizona's HB 2762 mandates that any products created from livestock, aquaculture or poultry, which have received mRNA vaccines, must be disclosed and cannot be labeled organic. 

The bill also prohibits the director of the Arizona Department of Agriculture and the state veterinarian from administering mRNA vaccines that lack full approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, according to a news release detailing the bill.

"This is a constituent bill. Many people reached out to me on this, and I dove into deep research,” Rep. John Gillette, R-30th, said in an interview. “I drafted this in response to the FDA and USDA contemplation on imposing rules and mandates for use of mRNA vaccines in livestock. This would apply to any mRNA unapproved vaccine."

Vaccines using mRNA are different from traditional vaccines as they utilize genetic material instead of weakened viruses to trigger an immune response, the release reported. mRNA is a single-stranded molecule responsible for carrying genetic information from DNA to various parts of the cell to produce proteins.

Although mRNA vaccines have been studied since the 1990s, they were first employed in COVID-19 vaccines created by Moderna and Pfizer, the release said. COVID-19 vaccines that use mRNA have been approved by the FDA for use during public health emergencies under emergency authorization, after verifying there is sufficient information on manufacturing to ensure consistency and quality, and that the advantages of the vaccine outweigh the risks.

"There are a few studies from England and Australia, showing mRNA has unintended side effects such as stillborn calves and poultry reduction in egg production," Gillette added, according to the interview. "The bill is good, but the question is in the labeling of the words and definition of 'organic.' This is the pervue of the USDA and may be challenged. After consulting with stakeholders and legal, I will find a pathway forward.”

The federal Organic Foods Production Act specifies a food product can be considered organic if it's produced and handled without the use of synthetic chemicals, with some exceptions, and grown on land free of prohibited substances for at least three years before harvest, the release reported.

"The intent of this bill is not to put our food supply at risk with an unapproved MRNA product that has unknown side effects in livestock," Gillette said in the interview. "It does not stop the will of the producer to use the product if so, deemed necessary if approved by the state vet. The bill only prohibits a federal mandate on the state veterinarian. It allows for those that do not use it to label as such. This is critical to the consumer and free market."

Additionally, a certification body must approve a production and handling plan that outlines how the operation complies with all federal regulations, including commodity-specific requirements, according to the release.

“I will make attempts to re-craft the labeling for growers to use an 'AZ specific' label identifying 'MRNA Free,' 'AZ Product' or something acceptable to regulators and consumers alike,” Gillette said in the interview. “This is a contentious issue, but have support from the medical, veterinary and many farm and ranch communities. I will be working to gain Democrat and ninth floor support and move this bill at the beginning of next session.”